The present invention is directed toward a display wall panel and more particularly, toward a wall panel with a slot designed to provide improved strength to the panel.
Display wall panels with brackets attached thereto are typically used in stores to display articles of clothing, sporting equipment, household items, or other articles which can be supported by the brackets. A typical prior art display wall panel 110 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The wall panel includes a base member 112 with a front side 114, a rear side 116, and a horizontally extending T-shaped slot 118 open to the front side 114 of the base member 112. The slot 118 has an opening 120 formed by an upper wall 122 and a lower wall 124 which form the stem of the T. (See FIG. 2.) The slot 118 also has a rear surface 126 parallel to the rear side 116 of the base member 112, an upper front surface 128, and a lower front surface 130 which form the cross portion of the T.
Bracket 132 has a vertical top portion 134, a curved portion 136, a vertical bottom portion 138, and a bar 140 which extends outwardly from the vertical bottom portion 138. The top portion 134 of the brackets 132 bears against the upper front surface 128 of the slot 118, the curved portion 136 rests on the lower wall 124 of the opening 120, and the vertical bottom portion 138 rests against the front side 114 of the base member 112. (See FIG. 2.) Hangers or other supports (not shown) may be hung from the bar 140. The articles to be displayed are then supported on these hangers. The bracket may be held at any location along the length of the slot. Also, each base member panel may have more than one slot and more than one bracket.
A potential problem with these wall panels is that they are usually made from particle board, which splits easily. Because most of the weight of the items being supported by the bracket bears against the upper front surface of the slot, the upper wall or corner of the slot will split and eventually break off. In order to increase the strength of the slot metal liners may be placed within the slot; however, these liners are expensive.
Various designs for slots are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,993 to Hutchison discloses a display wall panel with a slot having inclined upper and lower walls. The accessory bracket bears on the lower inclined wall of the slot. However, the upper inclined wall is not functional. Rather, the upper part of the bracket simply rests behind the upper wall, much like a conventional hanger. There is no interaction between the upper and lower inclined walls. Therefore, this design does not prevent the slot from splitting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,121 to Sothman discloses a slotted display wall panel with a T-shaped slot. The opening has opposed angled walls. The accessory bracket engages the angled wall of the upper portion of the slot. This wall panel, however, also does not prevent the slot from splitting.
The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of one embodiment of the present invention to provide a wall panel system which provides a slot with a triangular cross-section which provides improved strength to the wall panel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an interference fit between the slot of the wall panel and the bracket which helps to prevent rotation of the bracket.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention in a first embodiment there is provided a wall panel system which includes a base member with at least one horizontal slot extending therein. The slot has a triangular cross-section That is, the slot has an upper surface and a lower surface where the surfaces converge toward the opening of the slot. The system also includes a bracket having a curved portion with a top member and a bottom member where the curved portion fits in to the slot and the top member bears against the upper surface of the slot and the bottom member bears against the lower surface of the slot.
In a second embodiment of the present invention there is provided a wall panel system which includes a base member with at least one horizontal slot extending therein. The slot has an upper surface a lower surface, a rear surface, and an opening formed by an upper wall and a lower wall. The system also includes a bracket having a vertical member with a top member, a bottom member, and a curved portion extending outwardly from the vertical member. When the bracket is placed into the slot, the top member bears against the upper surface of the slot, the bottom member bears against the lower surface of the slot, and the curved portion rests on the lower wall of the opening.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.